Interaction analysis of tobacco leaf microbial community structure and volatiles flavor compounds during cigar stacking fermentation

INTRODUCTION: Cigar stacking fermentation is a key step in tobacco aroma enhancement and miscellaneous gas reduction, which both have a great influence on increasing cigar flavor and improving industrial availability. METHODS: To analyze the effect of cigar tobacco leaf (CTLs) microbial community on volatiles flavor compounds (VFCs), this study used multi-omics technology to reveal the changes in microbial community structure and VFCs of different cigar varieties during stacking fermentation, in addition to exploring the interaction mechanism of microbiome and VFCs. RESULTS: The results showed that the dominant microbial compositions of different CTL varieties during stacking fermentation were similar, which included Staphylococcus, Corynebacterium 1, Aerococcus, and Aspergillus. These dominant microbes mainly affected the microbial community structure and characteristic microorganisms of CTLs through microbial interactions, thereby influencing the transformation of VFCs. Characteristic microorganisms of different CTLs varieties such as Trichothecium, Trichosporon, Thioalkalicoccus and Jeotgalicoccus, were found to positively correlate with characteristic VFCs like megastigmatrienone 4, pyrazine, tetramethyl-, geranyl acetone, and 2-undecanone, 6,10-dimethyl-, respectively. This in turn affected the aroma and sensory quality of the CTLs. DISCUSSION: This study provides theoretical support for the analysis of the mechanism of microorganisms on VFCs and aroma, and development of microbial agents during cigar stacking fermentation.